Package of ground coffee of the prefilled tablet type and espresso coffee machine using such a package

ABSTRACT

Packaging of ground coffee in the form of pastille, &#34;dosette&#34; or predosed bag (1) usable in espresso coffee machines, the pastille, the &#34;dosette&#34; or the predosed bag (1) being formed of filter-paper (3) which encloses the ground coffee (4). The ground coffee content (4) placed in the pastille or the like is partially or totally circumscribed at its periphery, by at least one piece (6) of a sufficiently rigid material acting as a frame, so that the pastille or the like (1) has a good mechanical behaviour. Application to the production of coffees.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a package of ground coffee, in the formof a tablet, a small quantity or prefilled bag. The package can be usedin espresso coffee machines adapted to receive such a package ofspecific shape.

Thus the tablet, the small quantity or the prefilled bag is formed offilter paper containing the ground coffee and having a sealing edge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The state of the art includes many references.

Among the most interesting, document EP-A-0 361 569 relates to a coffeefilter in which a predetermined quantity of ground coffee is retainedbetween upper and lower filter papers fixed to a support.

This latter is either a filter adapted to receive a certain quantity ofpaper, or a cartridge for a filter, and comprises a vertical edge. Theassembly is characterized by the fact that the upper filter paper formswith the filter or the cartridge a small basin, which is to say that theperipheral edge of the upper filter paper is bent obliquely upwardly.

The document EP-A-0 422 898 describes an improved and optimized shape ofa filter bag for infusion coffee, adapted to be used in coffeemakers andto produce a homogeneous infusion of coffee in different coffeemakers ofthe American or European type. The bag comprises a first piece of filterpaper, whose surface is stretched by at least 3% from a rounded pocket,and sealed to a second circular piece of filter paper to form a sealingedge of about 1.27 cm thereabout. A measured quantity of ground coffeeis enclosed in the rounded pocket and provided with a space at its upperportion of at least 50% by volume of the pocket. The first and secondcircular pieces of filter paper each have preferably a diameter of about12.7 cm and are filled with a measured quantity of ground coffee toinfuse five cups of water. In this improved shape, the presence of anedge of 1.27 cm, in combination with an increased surface due to thestretching of the filter, produces a coffee with increased extraction ofthe soluble solids and a decrease of the deviation from standardextraction.

The document WO-92 07775 concerns a sealed cartridge containing ameasured quantity of substance adapted for the preparation of abeverage, by dissolution or extraction with a liquid, which is disposedin a collecting member for a liquid constituted by a truncated cup. Theassembly thus formed is placed in a recess of a "spoon" of an espressocoffee machine. The top of the cartridge is perforated by a perforatingand injecting member which injects a liquid under pressure into thecartridge. The lower membrane of the cartridge deforms under the forceof the pressure thus created and is pressed against the perforatingpoints at the bottom of the cup. The beverage flows into the recess andcan thus be collected in cups. The invention permits optimizing theduration of contact of the substance contained in the cartridge with theliquid provided for its dissolution or its extraction.

FR-A-2,575,181: Disposable infusion apparatus comprising upper and lowerfilters forming a chamber between them, a measured quantity of groundcoffee disposed in the chamber, an annular disc to be supported by theedge of a coffee cup, a wall extending from the disc and suspending thefilters and the coffee at a certain distance under the disc in aninfusion position and can be folded in a position in which the filtersand the mass of coffee are in the annular space of the disc forpackaging, the wall and the upper disc defining a water reservoir in theinfusion position.

There is another problem there since the above is only applicable tocoffee infusion and not to espresso coffee (percolating extraction). Thecoffee is not very compacted. The disc functions as engagement member atthe edge of the cup, it comprises an engagement border for that purpose.The disc is articulated and may be folded towards the interior of theannular space. It may not be used in a machine.

CH-495 138: This patent describes a small quantity of coffee without anyarmature or rigid piece. There is no mechanical device which would allowone to use this type of small quantity of coffee to make espressocoffee.

The drawbacks of these different coffee filter devices derives fromtheir structure. Either they are constituted of a rigid body requiringpiercing, the cost of such a device being very great. Or else thestructure is limited to the use of a paper filter which is less costlybut whose mechanical strength is quite insufficient.

Certain manufacturers have attempted to improve the mechanicalresistance of the devices using a package based on a paper filter. To dothis, they have compacted the coffee within the packaging, to such anextent that the coffee is practically solid. With this, the percolationor lixiviation can be achieved only with a very high pressure with thesealing problems that this gives rise to.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the present invention provides a ground coffee package inthe form of a tablet, a small quantity or a prefilled bag, in the formof a paper filter which encloses the ground coffee, the contents ofground coffee disposed in the tablet or the like constituting a centralpart, are partially or totally circumscribed at the region of itsperiphery by at least one member, characterized by the fact that themember is of a sufficiently rigid material, which serves as a framework,such that said tablet or the like has sufficient mechanical resistanceto be usable in espresso coffeemakers, and that the rigid member, whichserves as a framework, is disposed in the transverse plane of thecentral part which forms the disc containing the ground coffee orproduct to be infused.

The periphery of the tablet or the like is constituted by filter paperwhich forms a sealing edge present about some or all of the periphery ofsaid tablet or the like.

The coffee tablet or the like is formed of a central portion containingthe ground coffee and a peripheral portion or sealing edge whose shapesare respectively those of a disc and of a ring.

The rigid member serving as framework is formed by two rings placed onopposite sides of the filter paper forming the sealing edge.

According to one embodiment, the rings are of cardboard.

The invention also relates to an espresso coffeemaker comprisedconventionally of a water heater and a cylinder and piston assembly,itself comprised by a cylindrical body enclosing a piston using coffeetablets or the like, which is characterized by the fact that it isconstituted of abutments disposed at one end of the water heater in aposition perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the espressocoffeemaker, the cylinder and piston assembly coacting with said waterheater at said abutments to secure in position a coffee tablet or thelike which is fixed by its member of rigid material, between theabutments on the one hand, and the water heater on the other hand.

The cylinder and piston assembly is constituted by a cylindrical bodyenclosing a piston.

Each abutment is movable along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axisof the espresso coffeemaker.

The upper portion of said espresso coffeemaker comprises a slot situatedvertically above the abutments, such that the positioning of the rigidmember of each tablet or the like between the abutments on the one hand,and the water heater on the other hand, is achieved simply by gravity.

An opening is provided vertically below the abutments such that whensaid abutments are moved to be parallel to each other, the tablet or thelike is not retained by its rigid member and falls outside the espressocoffeemaker simply by gravity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are given by way of example and are notlimiting. They show a preferred embodiment of the invention. They permiteasy understanding of the invention.

They permit easy understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a package according to the present invention in transversecross section.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the package.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an espressocoffeemaker which uses the package shown in the preceding figures.

FIG. 4 shows a horizontal longitudinal cross section of the espressocoffee machine, in the region of the infusion chamber before thecylindrical body and the heater are brought together.

FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view identical to that of FIG. 4 duringthe approach of said cylindrical body and said heater.

Finally, FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view identical to those of FIGS.4 and 5 at the end of the approach to each other of the body and theheater, which forms the infusion chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides ground coffee 4 in the form of a tablet,a small quantity or a prefilled bag 1 which is usable by certainmachines such as espresso coffee machines 2.

The package can of course without departing from the present invention,contain ground coffee 4 or any other substance which can be infused orplaced in contact with water, for example tea, chicory, etc.

The tablet, the small quantity or the prefilled bag 1 is constituted byfilter paper 3 which encloses the ground coffee 4 or any other substancesuch as that shown in FIG. 1, the tablet or the like 1 forming a sealingedge 5 about its periphery which is characterized in that it is formedpartially or totally by filter paper 3 and by at least one piece 6constituted of a material sufficiently rigid to impart good mechanicalstrength to said tablet 1 or the like.

As will be seen in FIG. 2, the coffee tablet 1 is formed by a centralportion constituted by the ground coffee 4 and the filter paper 3 whichtraps it and a peripheral portion or a sealing edge 5 whose shapes arerespectively those of a disc for the central part and a ring for theperipheral part.

Of course any other shape having the same functions and leading to thesame result can only be considered technical equivalents.

According to a preferred embodiment, the rigid member 6 is formed by tworings placed on opposite sides of the filter paper 3 forming the sealingedge 5.

Similarly, the rings are made of cardboard.

According to a preferred embodiment, the rigid piece 6, which functionsas armature, is disposed in the transversal plane of the central partwhich forms the disc containing the ground coffee or product to beinfused.

This ring or rigid reinforcement piece 6 is level and flat.

This material is sufficiently rigid and biodegradable to permit goodoperation of the espresso coffeemaker and good degradation once thepackage has been used.

The espresso coffeemaker 2 is shown in FIG. 3.

This latter is essentially constituted by a water heater 7, a cylinderand piston assembly 8 and abutments 9 disposed at one end of the waterheater 7, the cylinder and piston assembly 8 coacting with said waterheater 7 at said abutments 9 so as to fix in place a coffee tablet 1.

The cylinder and piston assembly 8 is of conventional form, which is tosay it is constituted by a cylindrical body 10 enclosing a piston 11.

The overall operation of this espresso coffeemaker 2 will be betterexplained as follows.

The introduction of the tablet 1 takes place in a vertical plane and theaction of the piston 11 in a horizontal plane.

According to the espresso coffeemaker 2 shown in FIG. 3, the upperportion of said machine 2 comprises a slot 12 located above theabutments 9 permitting the positioning of each tablet 1 according to thearrows F4 and F5 within the espresso coffeemaker 2, by simple gravity.

Once the tablet 1 is maintained wedged at the abutments 9 between theheater 7 on the one hand and the cylindrical body 10 on the other hand,the tablet 1 is located pressed against the heater 7 and the cylindricalbody 10 of said cylinder and piston assembly 8, because of the movementof the cylindrical body 10 in the direction of arrow F3. This operationis well illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6.

Of course, the water heater 7 is first or at the same time supplied withwater according to the arrow F7 from an inlet tubing 14.

The cylindrical body 10 will then move toward the tablet 1 in thedirection of the arrow 3, such that the abutments 9 and the rigid member6 will be in contact with said body 10, as seen in FIG. 5. This approachcontinues then as indicated in FIG. 6, which permits the translation ofthe abutments 9, in the direction of arrow F10, along their axles 13,against the action of springs 16. The emplacement of said abutments 9 isdelimited by recesses on the body 10 and the heater 7. The body 10 andheater 7 are in abutment for each other except for the rigid member 6 ofthe tablet 1 that is between them, which then serves as a sealing jointbetween them.

The body 10 comprises a half recess situated opposing a half recess ofthe heater 7. When said body 10 and said heater 7 come together, the twosemi-recesses form an infusion chamber 18, which is sealed by the rigidmember 6.

When percolation of the water through the coffee is terminated, thereverse movement is effected, which is to say that the cylindrical body10 separates from the heater 7 in the direction of the arrow F9 of FIG.4.

Because of this, the springs 16 permit the return of the tablet 1 bymeans of abutments 9 to its initial position. This movement of theabutments 9 takes place in the direction of arrow F11.

The water in the heater 7 is either already heated before passingthrough said heater 7, or heated directly within the heater 7. Theforced passage of the water through the tablet 1 permits obtainingjudiciously aromatic coffee. The coffee can then be delivered in thedirection of arrow F8 from an outlet valve 15.

The movements of the cylindrical body 10 relative to the piston 11 areeffected by the introduction of a fluid such as water within thecylindrical body 10 of the cylinder and piston assembly 8.

To simplify understanding of the figures, these movements as well as themeans for effecting them are not shown. They are already known in theart.

Each abutment 9 is movable along an axle 16 parallel to the horizontalaxis of the espresso coffee machine, such that the abutments 9 can pivotin a vertical plane according to the arrows F1 and F2 so as to form anangle more or less closed, permitting retaining the tablet 1. Thispivoting takes place about the axle 13 of each abutment, which permitsthe tablet 1 either to be maintained at the level of the infusionchamber 18 before infusion chamber 18 is closed, which is the case whenthe longitudinal axes of the two abutments 9 form between them an anglewhose opening is directed upwardly, or to fall to the outside by gravityin the direction of the arrow F6, from the espresso coffee machine 2,when the longitudinal axes of the abutments 9 are parallel.

This discharge is effected thanks to an opening provided below theabutments 9, but not shown in the figures.

The movement of the abutments 9 in the direction of arrows F1 and F2 isautomated as a function of the position of the cylindrical body 10.

This automation takes place by means of an assembly of mechanicalmembers, such as cams and rods not shown in the drawings, but whose useis already well known in the art.

REFERENCES

1. Tablet, small quantity or prefilled bag of coffee

2. Espresso coffeemaker

3. Filter paper

4. Ground coffee

5. Sealing border

6. Rigid reinforcement member serving as the armature of the sealingjoint

7. Water heater

8. Cylinder and piston assembly

9. Abutments

10. Cylindrical of the cylinder and piston assembly 8

11. Piston of the cylinder and piston assembly 8

12. Upper slot of the espresso coffeemaker 2

13. Axle of rotation of translation for each abutment 9

14. Water inlet tubing

15. Coffee outlet tubing

16. Spring for each axle 13

17. Groove in each abutment 9

18. Infusion chamber

F1 and F2. Rotative movement of the abutments 9 relative to the waterheater 7

F3 and F9. Translatory movement of the movement 10 of the cylinder andpiston assembly 8

F4, F5 and F6. Movement of the tablet 1 or the like by gravity

F7 and F8. Direction of displacement of the water and of the coffeesolution

F9. Direction of displacement opposite F3 of the cylinder and pistonassembly 8 or spacing of the body 10 from the heater 7

F10. Displacement of the abutments 9 against the springs 16 due todisplacement F3

F11. Freeing of the abutments 9 under the urging of their springs 16 dueto the displacement F9

I claim:
 1. Package of ground coffee, comprising:a prefilled bag havinga central axis and including a first concave filter portion having afirst peripheral edge which extends circumferentially relative to saidcentral axis and a first flange extending from said first peripheraledge radially outward relative to said central axis, and a secondconcave filter portion having a second peripheral edge which extendscircumferentially relative to said central axis and a second flangeextending from said second peripheral edge radially outward relative tosaid central axis, an inner surface of said first concave portion facingan opposing inner surface of said second concave portion to provide acavity therebetween structured and configured for the containment ofcoffee, said first flange abutting said second flange in a plane whichextends in a transverse direction relative to said central axis andwhich bisects said cavity into two substantially equal parts, and anannular reinforcement member which abuts at least one of said firstflange and said second flange, said annular reinforcement member beingsufficiently rigid to serve as a framework such that said prefilled baghas sufficient mechanical strength to be usable in an espresso coffeemaker.
 2. Package according to claim 1, wherein the first concaveportion and the second concave portions are made of filter paper. 3.Package according to claim 1, wherein the first and second flanges aremade of filter paper and together form in the transverse plane a sealingedge about at least a peripheral portion of the prefilled bag. 4.Package according to claim 3, wherein the cavity containing the coffeeis formed of filter paper, and the sealing edge has the shape of a ring.5. Package according to claim 2, wherein the annular reinforcementmember serving as a framework is formed by two rings placed on oppositesides of the filter paper forming a sealing edge about at least aperipheral portion of the prefilled bag.
 6. Package according to claim5, wherein the rings are made of cardboard.
 7. Package according toclaim 4, wherein the reinforcement member is level and flat.
 8. Espressocoffee machine for use with a package of ground coffee, said espressomachine extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising:a waterheater having inlet means for water; an assembly operatively associatedwith said water heater and including an outlet for coffee, and acylinder enclosing a piston adapted to move in said longitudinaldirection; means for introducing a package of ground coffee in avertical plane transverse to the longitudinal direction and between thewater heater and the assembly; said water heater having abutmentsdisposed at one end thereof in a position perpendicular to saidlongitudinal direction, said abutments including means for receiving arigid edge of the coffee package, said assembly including means forcoacting with said water heater at said abutments to secure in positionthe coffee package by its rigid edge between the abutments.
 9. Espressocoffee machine according to claim 8, wherein each abutment is movablealong an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction.
 10. Espressocoffee machine according to claim 8, wherein the means for introducing apackage of ground coffee comprises a slot situated on the upper portionof said espresso coffee machine, vertically above the abutment such thatpositioning of the rigid edge of the coffee package between theabutments takes place by gravity, said espresso coffee machine furthercomprising an opening provided vertically below the abutments such thatwhen the abutments are moved so as to be parallel to each other, thecoffee package is no longer retained by its rigid edge, and fallsoutside the espresso coffee machine by gravity.